Going Beyond His Expectations / Bush team pleased with recent success

Published 4:00 am, Thursday, October 19, 2000

2000-10-19 04:00:00 PDT Eau Claire, Wis. -- Out of the debates and heading into the homestretch of the campaign, George W. Bush and his backers like where they find themselves.

"If I'd come to you 14 days ago and told you that after four debates Gov. Bush and Secretary (Dick) Cheney would be in this position, you would have thought the spin was set too high," Karen Hughes, Bush's campaign communication's director, told reporters on the candidate's campaign plane yesterday. "But we've exceeded expectations."

While polls taken after Tuesday night's debate in St. Louis did not agree, to the Bush camp it was a total victory. After three times in the ring with Vice President Al Gore -- recognized as one of the nation's top political debaters -- Bush's people say the Texas governor more than held his own.

"We're ending the debate phase of the campaign with Bush and Cheney ahead," Hughes said. "I feel our position is strong, but I'm very aware we have three weeks to go."

The high spirits extended to the candidate. When he arrived at the St. Louis airport yesterday, his advance staff gave him a homemade belt modeled after the ones worn by championship boxers. The blue belt with an enormous gold center said in hand-written letters "Presidential Debate Champ 2000, with love and devotion Debate Team 2000."

"From an objective group of people," the governor joked as he held the belt up.

Before the campaign plane took off, Bush came on the intercom and announced: "This is your captain speaking."

He asked whether all the reporters were aboard, adding, "I don't want to forget any journalists."

That provoked a groan as reporters recognized a line from Tuesday's debate when Bush urged viewers to "forget the journalists" and ignore what is being written about his campaign.

"There's a little less than three weeks to go and I'm looking forward to it," he added. "I hope you are, too."

The campaign now moves into a new phase, one in which Bush hopes he can begin pulling away from Gore in the polls.

While polls continue to show that people believe Gore is better on such issues as education, health care and the economy and is better informed and more experienced than Bush, many of these people still back Bush.

Bush's personal charm and folksy speaking style, which many say served him well in the debates, will become even more important as the campaign winds down.

Tuesday night's debate can be seen as the last real event of the campaign, ending a list that stretched from the Iowa caucuses to the primary debates and elections, the two conventions and the three head-to-head encounters.

While nationally publicized events such as the conventions and debates can sway voters across the country, from now until election day the two candidates will be competing state-by-state to collect the 270 electoral votes needed to become president.

That's why Bush spent yesterday in Wisconsin, telling people in Eau Claire and LaCrosse that they're the ones who can carry the Republicans to victory next month.

"The fact that I'm standing here in Wisconsin today speaks volumes about our chances," Bush, joined by Republican Gov. Tommy Thompson, told 500 people yesterday at a Eau Claire office supply company. "A year ago, if we'd said that we'd be competitive here with three weeks to go, you'd have looked at us kind of funny."

Bush continued to hammer on the points he made Tuesday night: He's the man who trusts the people while Gore believes in a larger and more intrusive federal government.

"There's a difference between the heavy hand of Washington versus the helping hand of this campaign," Bush said.

He also encouraged those in the crowd to talk to their neighbors: Republicans, Democrats and independents.

"Independent-minded people know what we know," he said. "We can do better."

Later in the day, Bush spoke to an enthusiastic rally of more than 3,000 people in downtown LaCrosse, on the banks of the Mississippi. Again, he used the forum to attack Gore.

"He wants government to control your lives; we want you to control your lives. The issues are on our side. We're solidly on the side of the people," he said.

The retail campaigning doesn't mean the national appearances are over, however. Tonight, Bush will be in New York for an appearance on David Letterman's show. Letterman's writers sent over some suggestions for a special "Top 10" list, but campaign officials said the governor wasn't happy with any of them and was trying to get his staff to suggest some alternatives.

"The governor's looking for funny people (on his staff)," Hughes said jokingly. "He keeps saying, 'Where are the funny people?' "